안녕
annyeong[a̠nɲʌ̹ŋ]
To say "hi cutely" in Korean, you use 안녕 (annyeong).
This phrase is a casual greeting used to say hello to someone.
Which one should you use?
While 안녕 is the standard casual greeting, 안뇽 is a more playful and endearing version. There is also a hybrid phrase, 안뇽하세요, which combines the playful 안뇽 with the formal 안녕하세요.
How do you pronounce it?
annyeong
Did you know?
- The phrase 안녕 literally translates to 'peace' and 'serenity'. When you say it, you are essentially wishing that the other person is in a state of peace.
- In many Korean-speaking contexts, you can actually use 안녕 as a way to say 'goodbye' as well as 'hello'.
- Because 안녕 is strictly casual, using it with a stranger or a teacher could be seen as a significant social blunder rather than a friendly gesture.
Examples in context
- 안녕, 귀요미Hi, cutie
- 안뇽, 사랑스런 사람Hi, lovely person
Example conversation
Two friends meet at a cafe.
- 지은 Ji-eun도현, 안녕!Dohyeon, annyeong!Hi, Dohyeon!
- 도현 Do-hyeon지은, 안녕! 반가워.Jieun, annyeong! Banggawo.Hi, Jieun! Good to see you.
- 지은 Ji-eun잘 지냈어?Jal jinaesseo?How have you been?
- 도현 Do-hyeon응, 아주 잘 지냈어.Eung, aju jal jinaesseo.Yeah, I've been doing great.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 안녕, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 안녕, CC BY-SA 4.0.
